Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Breaking the Stem
by RskimB
Summary: The turtles battle a dangerous new enemy and gain an ally that could prove to be useful in defeating the new threat. Story is completed.
1. THE SEED Part I

The TMNT and tmnt-related characters are all property of Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman, and Mirage Studios. I do not claim to own them and am only writing a fanfic containing their characters. Any additional characters are completely original and my own creations.  
  
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Breaking the Stem  
  
Prologue  
  
For a while now the turtles have been training vigorously under the streets of New York, occasionally they would emerge from the sewers to battle a mugger, the Foot, or other miscreants. However, the turtles hadn't engaged in anything major ever since Master Splinter killed Shredder in a rooftop battle over a year ago. Since that time the turtles have become increasingly exposed to society, through their battles on the surface. They are sixteen and frustrated by their recent restriction from the surface by Master Splinter. They are filled with pent up frustration because they can not go out and thwart the new gang's plans. The Foot Clan, now led by Oroku Saki's adopted son, Nobei "Saki", were warring all over the city with the newly emergent Black Lotus for over five months and no one was safe from harm. The Foot Clan was losing the war badly and lost many through death and even more by people defecting to the Black Lotus side. The Black Lotus originated in Japan during the early fifties; a group of young men fed up with the weak government and state of Japan. They began to gain power by murdering government officials and "convincing" others to get laws passed to benefit their group and to make the government and police powerless to stop them. Soon after gaining political power they got involved into prostitution, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, embezzlement, graft, and anything illegal that could make them serious money. Young men from all over Japan went to the Black Lotus for protection, favors, and opportunities they normally wouldn't get. As the Black Lotus helped them, more and more men joined, making the Black Lotus the second strongest gang in Japan, only the Yakuza surpassed their might. Black Lotus members were trained to follow bushido and samurai codes of conduct as well as ninja habits. Members are always completely loyal to leaders and often gave up their lives to benefit the Black Lotus. Leaders of the Black Lotus decided that the only way for them to become more powerful was to expand to the United States. If their takeover of New York City was successful they would begin to do the same in all other major New York cities and finally other metropolitan cities in the US.  
  
THE SEED(Part I)  
  
The turtles had many discussions with Master Splinter about getting involved in the gang war, but he wanted them to stay out of it. He said that this was too big for even the turtles to control. One night the lair was completely dark and silent, no one was awake except for Raphael. He tossed and turned in vain efforts to get some sleep, but nothing helped. He wanted to get his stiff muscles loose and work up a sweat topside. Raph slid out of bed and grabbed his sais and tied his bandana around his face.  
  
"All need was some air and room to move my joints; it's not as if I'm deliberately trying to disobey Master Splinter. If I don't go topside I'll never get a good night of sleep again," Raph rationalized.  
  
He silently crept out of the lair and then jogged down a tunnel until he found a manhole cover he knew that opened into an alley. He climbs up the ladder rungs and out of the sewer and begins to look around. The only source of light Raph saw was the streetlamps and it was so quiet it was almost eerie. When Raph was sure there is no around he hoists himself up a fire escape and gets on the roof to do some routine flips and kicks. He was beginning to work up a sweat when he decided to take a break and look over the roof ledge.  
  
He spotted a black sedan pull up to a streetlamp next to the building he was standing on. Raph knew something shady was about to occur, why else would the driver park in a dangerous neighborhood so late at night. As unexpectedly as the car had pulled up, two men walked out of a nearby alley and approached the passenger side of the car. The tinted passenger window opened up just enough to talk, but Raph couldn't see inside.  
  
"How has expansion been going so far?" The guy in the car asked.  
  
"We have had little difficulties to go through. Aside from the Foot, no one has given us any trouble, thanks to your influence with the police chief and city council. We may be able to reach the same level of strength we possess in Japan faster than we anticipated," one of the men said.  
  
It seemed strange to Raph that they did not attempt to muffle his voice, it was as if they didn't care if they were overheard or they were overconfident.  
  
"Have you encountered any of the 'unusual obstacles', the former Foot clan members mentioned?"  
  
"Not yet, but Tatsuya and I will personally begin searching areas that have already been checked."  
  
Listening to their conversation, Raphael realized both men had Japanese accents, which meant all three of them were Japanese. He could only get a good view of the men outside the car. They both were relatively young and somewhat muscular, however one of them was wearing a business suit and the other a t-shirt and jeans.  
  
"All right, report back to HQ an hour from now."  
  
After giving that command the black sedan drove off and the two men watched the car fade into the darkness and back into the alley. Raph was considering tailing them when they emerged from the alley speeding off on motorcycles. By this time it was very late and even darker than before so Raph headed back home. He descended into the sewer and closed the manhole. Finally after a short while he made it back to the lair and saw that the lights were on and everyone was awake.  
  
"Where the hell have you been Raph? You know we aren't supposed to head to the surface." Leo probed. 


	2. THE SEED Part II

THE SEED(Part II)  
  
"I was going out to get some fresh air and stuff when I over two Black Lotus guys talking."  
  
"Black Lotus! What were they talking about?"  
  
"They mentioned taking over the city and said that they've been devastating the Foot's numbers. Plus, it looks like they've got the police chief and city council to look the other way. Also it seems that they have been scouring the city for us."  
  
"Man, that's not good I've been enjoying our vacation from crime fighting," Michelangelo said.  
  
"Not me, Mikey, I can't wait to bust some skulls."  
  
Splinter, who up until now had been silent, voiced his opinion to the turtles, "Even if the facts are not conclusive, I think it would be better to act than be indecisive. I am not sure if going out to fight the Black Lotus is advantageous, but if they are looking for you it might be beneficial to go on the offensive before they discover our home. Since the Foot has seen their numbers decimated at least you will not find too much resistance from them."  
  
Everyone agreed they had to stop the Black Lotus; everyone knew the consequences of allowing the Black Lotus to keep growing. If the turtles allowed them to continue expanding they would gain an enemy far more powerful than the pathetic new Foot. That night the turtles went to sleep extremely late. The next day Raphael was the last wake up; he got out of his bed and stretched. He tied on his bandana and walked over to the kitchen table, where Mikey, Don, and Leo were already wolfing down yesterday's pizza.  
  
Raph grabbed a sliced and after eating it asked Leo, "Are we finally heading out today?"  
  
"Yeah, once it's dark enough."  
  
Raph was the only one whose spirits were high. "Come on Donny let's spar."  
  
He and Raph went over to the training room and took their stances a few feet apart. Raph leapt into the air to kick Donatello. However the move was so telegraphed that Don was able to grab Raph's foot and hurl him backwards. Raph got up promptly and landed a strong roundhouse kick to Don's face as he was approaching. Don stumbled backward and Raph stood up to meet Don with a series of fierce dragon punches. Don groaned as each landed after a while was finally able to block the punches and retreated.  
  
After being able to regroup he charged toward Raphael and speared him; Raph heaved Donatello off from on top of him and got up. Raph executed a powerful jumping kick to Don's midsection. Don was gasping for air on the ground.  
  
Raph looked down at him and grinned and asked, "You give up, Don?"  
  
Don nodded and Raph extended his arm to help lift him up. Raph was glad to glisten a little, Don was probably the worst fighter among the turtles, but he always fought to his limits. After Leonardo and Michelangelo sparred everyone rested. The evening slowly crept up on the turtles; they had been wasting time by watching TV. The turtles realized it was finally time to leave and grabbed their weapons and started their search for the Black Lotus. The turtles left the lair and headed to the tunnels and surfaced somewhere in Chinatown.  
  
It was early December so the sky was already black and the streetlamps were on. The slight December breeze did not even affect the vigilant turtles. The turtles could see that many shopkeepers were already displaying their Christmas decorations and red and green wreaths were already attached to every streetlamp. Everyone climbed up a nearby fire escape and they waited for sign of Lotus activity. After an hour of inactivity the turtles were growing restless. By the time Mikey spotted something, most shops were closed and the streets and sidewalks were almost empty.  
  
Two young women were heading down the sidewalk across from the turtles. They were beginning to quicken their pace, when they were dragged into an alley. The turtles moved without a word and headed for the alley. There were six guys in the alley; two were covering the girls' mouths, while the others searched through the girls' purses or were lookouts.  
  
"All they got is a hundred n fourteen dollars between the both of them!" One guy yelled angrily.  
  
"Calm down, we can still have a little fun with them," another guy said winking.  
  
They both grinned and seeing this the women struggled harder than before. The one who had yelled was turning to face on the girls when someone said something. 


	3. THE SEED Part III

THE SEED(Part III)  
  
"Not so fast jerk let the ladies go and we might not beat you up too badly," Mikey warned.  
  
The thugs looked at the turtles in a combination of fear, confusion, and anger and seeing the turtles the girls were becoming hysterical.  
  
"Who the hell invited these freaks to the party?" The angry one asked.  
  
"Does it matter? Come on lets teach these weirdoes a lesson." Someone said.  
  
The thugs let go of the girls and they ran out as quick as possible. All of the thugs either had pipes or chains. Leonardo jumped high, spun, and then kicked knocking two guys out. Raphael charged toward someone holding a pipe. His assailant brought his pipe down hard to hit Raph, but he stopped it with his sais. Raph did a split kick to get the guy off balance and to get more space between them. The thug dropped his pipe and was still wobbly so Raph attacked. He dropped his shoulder and rammed the guy into the wall. Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo surrounded the three remaining guys in an attempt to finish them off.  
  
They looked at each other and nodded.  
  
"Shellshock!"  
  
They turned their shells to the thugs and sandwiched them, crushing them between their shells. Their attackers instantly crumpled into a pile.  
  
"Who were these punks?" Raph smirked.  
  
"That test did not measure up to your skills," a voice said from above.  
  
The turtles looked up; the voice belonged to a Black Lotus standing on a balcony ledge. He was dressed in ninja garb that was all black with blue cloth wrapped around his arms and legs, it was a bit similar to the Foot's uniforms, but clearly distinctive enough to tell the difference. He stood there and examined the turtles and the trash and thug strewn alley and laughed.  
  
"Who the hell is this loser?" Raphael growled.  
  
"Can't you tell? Oh well, it doesn't matter I'll give you a closer look," the masked stranger said mockingly.  
  
He hopped down from the balcony with the gracefulness of a cat.  
  
"Whoa, this guy is for real." Donatello exclaimed.  
  
As usual Raphael rushed into battle.  
  
"Humph! Leave this to me!"  
  
Raph charged at the guy fist first. However as fast as Raph attacked, this guy was ready for his assault. He quickly sidestepped Raph and allowed him to barrel into the wall. Raph whipped around and spin kicked, hitting the ninja's ribs. The ninja recovered quickly and sweep kicked Raph off his feet. Raph got up and they backed away from each other; with the enclosed space of the alley their moves were limited. Mikey, Don, and Leo wanted to jump in and help, but it was never a good idea to get in Raph's way in the heat of a battle. The ninja came at Raph with an elbow to the cheek, a hook to the chest and then a knee to the gut. Then he kicked him in the face sending Raph into the wall again.  
  
Raphael got up slowly and they both attacked, he swung at the ninja and missed leaving himself open for a dropkick. However the dropkick didn't knock him down, rather Raph did a dual spinning kick and both times his blows struck the ninja in the face. Then Raph elbowed the ninja in the gut, causing him to double over.  
  
"Is that all you got?" Raph asked.  
  
No sooner than the last word had come out did the ninja strike back. He landed a monstrous kick into Raph's lower chest plate that forced him into the wall. Then he flipped Raph on his shell and began punching; Raph was defenseless. The ninja assaulted his face and chest with a barrage, but as he tired Raph was able to block his face and began to time the blows. Then Raph waited until an opportune time when he finally knocked the ninja off. They squared off only a few feet from each other and before the ninja expected it Raph used the walls to his advantage. He leapt from the left wall to the right and landed consecutive kicks to the ninja's face.  
  
The ninja hesitated while on the ground for a second too long and Raph was able to land his vicious knee drop into the ninja's gut. The Lotus was gasping for air, Raph was ready to strike again, but he was stopped.  
  
"Hold on Raph, we need to keep him conscious if we're gonna get any info from him," Leo urged.  
  
Raph glared at Leonardo, then the ninja and stepped aside. The turtles moved closer to the fallen Lotus member and formed a circle around him. He was panting heavily, but otherwise only seemed shaken. 


	4. CrossPollination

Cross-pollination  
  
"Get up," Leo ordered.  
  
The ninja surveyed the cramped and dark alley and seeing that he was surrounded did what he was told. Unexpectedly the thugs who had been unconscious during the fight awoke and fled from the alley. However the turtles paid no attention to the fleeing thugs.  
  
"Why is the Black Lotus searching for us, what are you guys trying to do?"  
  
"The Black Lotus want complete control of the city and with the Foot soon to be disposed of, you are their main hindrance and must be eliminated. Our leader wants nothing to stand in his way for the conquest if New York City and other major metropolitan cities."  
  
Each turtle looked at him intently, trying to determine whether or not he was speaking the truth.  
  
"Even if he is telling the truth what are we going to do about it?" Donatello asked rhetorically.  
  
He asked the question everyone else was thinking. Everyone contemplated hard for a few minutes until Leo answered.  
  
"There is only one course of action we can take, we must strike first and kill the Black Lotus leaders."  
  
"Did you and Raph switch bandanas today?" Mikey asked jokingly.  
  
Everyone understood that Mikey meant that it was unusual for Leo to advocate to such aggressive measures to eliminating their problem.  
  
"I'm serious. We can not let the Black Lotus take over anywhere and I'm guessing that the head of the NYC takeover or whoever calls the shots is nearby. So if we get of him and his chief subordinate the Black Lotus will not last much longer after that. They will probably split up into rival factions because of struggles for power, then rival Lotus gangs will be formed from within and they will become so weak that they'll be out of 'business' permanently."  
  
"He's right, we can't hide in the sewers and wait for the mayor or the FBI to take care of this. I mean when was the last time they ever did anything to stop the Foot or anyone else?" Don added.  
  
"So what are we gonna do with him?" Raph asked.  
  
The ninja remained completely motionless during their discussions.  
  
"We can't let him go or he'll the others and the cops can't bust him for anything... damn we might have to kill him," Leo said.  
  
Leo was not going to kill him; he was only trying to scare the ninja into revealing the Black Lotus' hideout. However, the ninja's eyes widened when he heard they were considering killing him. Now John regretted joining more than ever, he only joined the gang so that they would stop harassing his brother and so he wouldn't have to join. However now he would rather have to fight to protect him everyday than stay a member. If he died his mother would never recover from the grief of losing her eldest son and he would be leaving the family unprotected. He did not know what he was getting himself into when he joined; he thought that oversized turtles fighting New York City crime was only an urban legend. If John knew he'd forced by the Black Lotus leaders to fight these freaks he would have tried to quit.  
  
John lived in a two bedroom apartment with his twelve year old brother, Kenetsu (Although everyone called him Ken) and his mother. He was an eighteen year old, high school senior who was eight when he began learning how to fight at the martial arts dojo near his home. His sensei became like a father to him and he learned karate, kung fu, and various other martial arts to spend time with him. His sensei would undoubtedly be disappointed in him if he were here today. John decided he would give the turtles any information they wanted if they would let him live so he could protect his family.  
  
"Hey you!" Raph shouted, interrupting John's thoughts.  
  
"Huh? .... Oh, what do you want?"  
  
"Will you give up the location of the Black Lotus HQ or what?" Leo demanded.  
  
"Of course, if you promise not to kill me."  
  
"How can we trust him?" Donatello asked Leo.  
  
"We have to trust him; he's all we got. Fine, we promise we won't kill you."  
  
John looked up into the night sky and realized how late it must be; if his mom was awake and knew he wasn't home she would be furious. He hoped it hadn't reached midnight yet.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't show you the hideout tonight, I have to hurry back home."  
  
"I bet he's just setting us up for a trap," Raph said.  
  
"You have to believe me; I need to get back home. I never even wanted to become a Lotus; I was forced into joining. They said they would either hurt my family or force my brother to join. But that doesn't matter now, I'm quitting, I should have done this a while ago. I would rather be fighting to protect my family from evil than fighting on its side."  
  
"I think we can trust him," Mikey said.  
  
John removed his mask to express his sincerity.  
  
"Here take my uniform if you don't think you can trust me."  
  
John peeled off the top and bottom parts of his uniform and handed them to Raph.  
  
"If I am lying then going to headquarters without a uniform is going to be pretty risky."  
  
"What's your name kid?" Raph asked.  
  
"My name is John. Tomorrow night around eleven meet me at Sunset and Glass here in Chinatown." 


	5. Reap what YoU sow

Reap what YoU sow  
  
Something in Raph's gut finally made him believe that he could trust John. It was very close to midnight when the turtles retreated into the sewers. John was halfway home when he thought he had heard something. He glanced past his shoulder and saw nothing but a desolate street and a badly lit streetlamp. As he turned his head forward he saw two Foot soldiers in front of him. One of them had a knife and the other's hands were empty.  
  
"What do you bastards want?"  
  
"Your Black Lotus clan is decimating our forces, we have lost many friends and fellow brothers because of the Black Lotus, so you will lose someone close to you as well," the weaponless Foot soldier said cryptically.  
  
"But that wasn't me, that was the Black Lotus! I'm not with them anymore."  
  
"Everyone has to pay for past mistakes sooner or later and now your time has come," the one with the knife said.  
  
As the knife guy finished talking, the other Foot soldier sprang into action. He jumped and planted his foot in John's chest. John began to stagger backwards and as he did his attacker sweep kicked him and John fell. John saw his chance and took it; he kicked the guy as hard as he could in the groin. The Foot soldier keeled over and moaned in pain. John was finally beginning to completely understand what was happening and was frantic to return home, these guys were retaliating against him for the group crimes of the Black Lotus. His mind was frenzied as he thought of his mother and brother, who were alone and unprotected.  
  
He got back up and the Foot soldier with the knife attempted to stab him but was way too slow to catch someone as agile as John. John leapt over the Foot soldier and when landed he kicked the guy in the back and the Foot soldier landed face first. John knew he had to end this quickly so his next move was brutal. He leapt a short distance from the ground and as the Foot soldier was beginning to lift his head, drove his knee into the back of his head and slammed into the pavement. The Foot soldier screamed in agony as his blood painted the sidewalk. John ran home at full speed and within moments arrived at his apartment complex. He rushed up the stairs to the third floor and found his apartment door wide open.  
  
"How could no one have seen this?" John thought to himself.  
  
Stepping into the living room John saw the place was a complete mess, someone must have had a struggle. The room had been turned upside down, there were overturned chairs, broken lamps, books scattered all over, and more debris on the floor. But surprisingly nothing had been stolen; all the appliances worth anything were in their usual places. That meant they were only here for one thing and that was revenge. He walked into the kitchen and saw that it was in a state of disarray as well. Drawers had been pulled out and various utensils lay strewn across the floor. Finally John saw what he had feared all along, under the collapsed kitchen table he could see his mother's outstretched arms and legs.  
  
He moved the table out of the way to examine her. Her face was as emotionless as if she had died in her sleep. Even though her face was puffy and there were bruises along her arms. She had two stab wounds; one in the stomach and the other in the breast, these wounds drenched her shirt in blood. John felt her and noticed that the warmth from her body was only beginning to fade, he realized the Foot might still be here. He stood up and grabbed a knife, he was anxious to exact revenge on any remaining Foot soldiers. When John checked his room and saw it was empty he feared they got to Ken as well. He crept into his mother's room and heard a noise from under the bed. John dropped the knife and checked under the bed, as he suspected it was Ken.  
  
"Ken it's me, John." 


	6. Reap what YoU sow continued

Reap what You Sow(Continued)  
  
Ken's face was tearstained and he had snot running down his nose. Ken came out from under the bed and John picked up the phone to call 911 and reported his mother's death.  
  
"I couldn't do anything to save her... I didn't even try, she made me hide, but I shouldn't have listened. I should ha-, "  
  
"Ken stop it. You can't blame yourself for this, if your gonna blame anyone blame the Foot or me."  
  
Ken thought John meant that their mother was dead because of his absence, but John blamed himself not only for that but also his gang ties. After recovering a bit Ken was finally coherent enough to ask a question.  
  
"W-where were you John?"  
  
"I was..." John wasn't exactly sure what to say, but after remembering his promise to the turtles he said, "I was getting even."  
  
Before Ken could ask him what he meant EMTs came into the apartment with stretcher.  
  
As they were putting her body onto the stretcher, Ken asked, "Could we ride with you to the hospital?"  
  
One of the two guys carrying the stretcher turned and nodded. The brothers closed the apartment door and followed the EMTs to the ambulance.  
  
"Three hundred." Raphael said, finishing his last sit-up.  
  
After waiting for so long, the turtles were finally about to go fight the Black Lotus. Everyone was trying to prepare in some form, Leonardo was meditating, Donatello and Michelangelo were sparring, and Raph had just finished up his exercises. He was bored so he decided to see what was on TV, so he sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. The TV screen lit up and there was a reporter speaking.  
  
"Hey guys check this story out real quick."  
  
Don, Mikey, and Leo came over and began to watch.  
  
"This is Tina Chung, reporting live from Chinatown for Channel Six News. There has been what appears to be a break-in and homicide at the Gold Towers apartment complex. It has been confirmed that there has been only one death in this incident. Forty-five year old Yoriku Motsuma, mother of two sons, was confirmed as the deceased. She was pronounced dead at twelve thirty one A.M. at St. Joseph's Hospital. Her sons, John and Kenetsu were not harmed in the incident. Kenetsu has been placed in the custody of his older brother John, who recently turned eighteen."  
  
"She was severely beaten and then stabbed to death and dead before EMTs even arrived on the scene. The motive for this heinous crime is still unclear, but police are pointing toward revenge since no money or valuables were stolen. However friends and neighbors of Yoriku are shocked that anyone could do this, they say she had no enemies and that she was a pleasure to be around. Police have reason to believe that a gang might have committed this crime, but are still investigating this further. If you have any information please contact the police at their confidential tip line, the number is (462) 610-7781."  
  
"Also nearby only a few blocks away two Foot soldiers were found unconscious. One of them was found with severe head trauma and the other, while not in as serious condition was found passed out. Police are not sure about the cause of the incident, but seem to believe that it was just another battle in the Black Lotus and Foot Clan gang war. Police are also trying to determine whether there is any connection between either case and will try to keep us informed as both cases progress. This is Tina Chung for Channel Six News signing off."  
  
After all that had ended the turtles finally began to speak.  
  
"That's the same John we were talking to last night, he was telling the truth," Raph said.  
  
"Do you guys think the Black Lotus killed his mother?" Mikey asked.  
  
"I doubt it, yesterday John was in a hurry to get home which mean the Black Lotus won't find out that he quit until tonight. I'm willing to bet that it was probably the Foot retaliating against the Black Lotus," Don responded.  
  
"What do you mean they won't find out until tonight?"  
  
"What I mean is that if John makes it tonight he's gonna be spotted with us and I think the Black Lotus will be able to realize that he's switching sides." 


	7. eve of the body harvest

eve of the body harvest "I guess that makes sense," Raph said.  
  
With nothing to do and having exerted a lot of energy exercising, Raph decided to take a nap. He lay in bed for a while; just stared at the ceiling and eventually he drifted off into sleep. It was so dark Raph couldn't even see anything except one figure sitting up ahead. In front of him Raph saw Master Splinter meditating and was puzzled. He turned to observe his surroundings and when he turned back around Splinter had vanished.  
  
"What is going on?" Raph wondered aloud.  
  
A voice echoed in his head, at first it was incomprehensible, but soon the voice gained clarity. The voice sounded like Master Splinter's.  
  
"Your mind is clouded Raphael. You must be able clear it, you must do so by not letting your impulses control you. Too often you hate to rule you on the battlefield and cloud your vision. You need to trust in your brothers and not only rely on your own abilities to protect you."  
  
"Master Splinter where are you? What do you mean? I don't understand this."  
  
"I am HERE... with you my son. Now you must find yourself."  
  
Raphael began to look around for the source of the voice, but couldn't find it. He was beginning to wonder if he still even in the lair or not.  
  
"Mikey? Don? Are you here Leo? Where are you guys?"  
  
Suddenly Raph could hear a match being lit and turned to see a lit candle behind him. Out of nowhere a Foot soldier attacked and successfully knocked Raph to the ground.  
  
"Sensei where are we? How did we get here?"  
  
Raph stood and a light was turned and the entire place became illuminated. He saw that the place had tons of boxes and crates, meaning he was probably in a warehouse. Two more ninjas came to aid the Foot soldier, but one of them was a Lotus.  
  
"Black Lotus and the Foot fighting as a team? What is happening?"  
  
The two Foot soldiers launched their attacks simultaneously. One swung at Raph, but he soared over his attacker's head and kicked the Foot soldier into a crate. Raph got out his sais and motioned to his foes that he was done playing around. The remaining Foot soldier came flying toward him with a dragon kick and rocked his chest. Although his attack was severe, Raph wasn't fazed and head butted the Foot soldier as he landed from his kick. The Foot soldier who had attacked previously and the Black Lotus tried to assail him from opposite sides.  
  
They charged with reckless abandon, assuming they would be too fast and too powerful for Raphael to overcome. They were wrong; Raph held out his sais erect and by then it was too late for them to stop. The prongs of each sai skewered both of them horribly. As Raph pulled his sais out of their necks the bodies instantly crashed to the floor. Soon hundreds of Black Lotuses and Foot soldiers began appearing from behind crates and more leapt down from the crates they were standing on in order to attack.  
  
"Damn, where are they coming from? If there are any genetically altered turtles that can hear me I could sure use some help."  
  
Three Foot soldiers wielding katanas came running towards him. Raph back flipped to avoid being slashed, but was pushed back into the battle by ninjas behind him. Raph jumped forward and clotheslined two of them, but missed the third. He was about to attack when out of the blue someone hopped on his shell. Soon everyone gang piled on top of Raph and within moments there were so many he couldn't move and could hardly breathe. The weight of all those people on top of him felt immense. Without warning he felt a sharp pain in his left arm; he tried to move his head to see what happening, but he couldn't turn his neck. However he was certain that he was being stabbed and moments later he felt a stabbing pain that was even more intense in his right hand.  
  
"Aaaaahhh!"  
  
Then as quick as everything had occurred, Raph awoke. He wiped his eyes and then began to observe his right hand, but it was as normal as ever as was his left arm.  
  
"What the hell was that? A nightmare maybe? Or could it b--" 


	8. The Home Front

The Home Front  
  
"You ready Raph?" Leo asked.  
  
"Are we leaving now?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"All right just give me a sec."  
  
Raph wiped the sweat off from his face that formed during his dream and grabbed his sais and a couple of shurikens. All the turtles were solemn, even Mikey wasn't joking around for a change; if John showed up then tonight would be their first time ever to use lethal force. Even when they were fighting the Foot the turtles had never killed anyone, the only person they ever had to kill died by Splinter's hands and not their own. Of course this was not the only thing that contributed to the turtles somber mood. They knew they would have to use every last bit of energy if they were going to defeat the Lotus. Donatello was replacing his usual wooden Bo staff with a metal one and attached pike heads to both ends. Michaelangelo did the same to the ends of his nunchakus and loaded up on extra shurikens.  
  
The turtles were determined to end the Black Lotus' reign over the city for good. They left the lair and began walking down a sewer tunnel that leads to Chinatown. They arrived at Sunset and Glass, but John was nowhere to be found. Heavy fog hid the turtles in the darkness, but it was not an advantage because visibility was hampered even more due to cloud cover.  
  
"Do you think he's gonna be able to make it? His mother did just pass away," Don said.  
  
"He'll get here," Raph said without hesitation.  
  
However ten minutes later the turtles weren't so sure and were considering heading home. That was when they saw the silhouette of a person through the fog and shadows running toward them.  
  
"Hold up! Don't leave." the person said.  
  
In a few short seconds John stood next to them panting and out of breath.  
  
"Sorry I'm late. I had a tough time convincing my brother to sleep. He's been a little paranoid lately, but I think he'll be all right."  
  
"Ok. So where is the Black Lotus base of operations?" Leo asked.  
  
"They have a front company that goes by the name Matada Drugs Corporation. Matada produces placebo pills called Cerderex. Cerderex is organic so they don't worry about any FDA inspections. The pill is supposed to improve memory, but of course it does nothing. All this was so easy for the Lotus to set up because they have been using Matada as a front company in Japan for years. The FDA assumed they were legit and Matada was able to open a New York branch, this allowed many high ranking Lotus officials to come to New York without any problem."  
  
"On the company grounds the Black Lotus use two huge warehouses: one to house illegal materials valuable to the organization. The other is used to train Black Lotus members. Meanwhile Matada uses a third warehouse to store surplus Cerderex. Also, the plant where Cerderex is produced is on the far end of this compound. There are three chief officers in charge of the Black Lotus; they will most likely be inside the five story building that is Matada's headquarters. If they are there we will find them on the fifth floor."  
  
"All right we need to start moving," Raph said.  
  
The Matada Drug Corporation was just outside of Chinatown and six blocks from Sunset and Glass. To pass the time John asked them how they came to be and Donatello divulged their origin to him. By the time they finally made it there, Donatello was finished and it was eleven-forty.  
  
"How can you be sure that the chief officers will be here so late?" Don asked.  
  
"They will be planning more aggressive measures to get rid of the Foot and taking complete control of the city before their Japanese superiors inspect their progress next month."  
  
Accepting his answer the turtles tried to devise a plan to get in without being noticed, but John interrupted them.  
  
"There isn't any other way inside other than the through the front doors, the Black Lotus made sure of that by setting up an alarm that is triggered when someone attempts to enter through the fire exits and side doors. And they placed alarms in the ventilation shafts as well."  
  
"So much for the element of surprise," Leo said. 


	9. Body Harvest

Body Harvest  
  
John and the turtles helped each other over the barbwire fences and found themselves in the parking lot. Surprisingly the lot was completely dark and only one car remained. The turtles drew their weapons and crept into the main entrance of the Matada building. The lobby was still, except for the whir of a camera, but Don destroyed it quickly. They heard some whispering as they were approaching the receptionist's desk. The receptionist was crouched behind her desk and talking on the phone.  
  
"Sir the cameras picked up images of the creatures and now they have just entered the building."  
  
"Lady, stop what you're doing," Raph ordered.  
  
She looked at Raph, dropped the phone, and began to scream.  
  
"If we don't leave the lobby soon it will be swarming with Lotuses," Don warned.  
  
John and the turtles tried to rush to the stairwell but someone opened it before they could reach it. A Black Lotus stepped out and six more followed behind him. John and the turtles inched backward as the Lotuses advanced.  
  
"No mercy!" Raphael shouted.  
  
He ran toward a Black Lotus to his left and outstretched his sais to stab him. The Lotus was able to block one sai with his forearm allowing it to penetrate through, but the other sai found its destination and plunged into the ninja's stomach. The ninja slumped to the floor and Raph's sais slid out of his body allowing Raph to go search for another opponent. Meanwhile, Don was fighting two Lotuses and about to use his metal bo staff. He lanced one in the abdomen, forcing the pike head in as deep as possible. The other ninja attacked while Don was pulling out his weapon, he kicked Don in the back of the head and then attempted to trip him, but Don hopped over his leg. As he was landing Don slashed the ninja's neck and the Lotus sprawled to the floor.  
  
At that same time Leo held his katanas in both hands poised for action. He stood motionless, waiting to use his spinning star attack on the three Lotuses surrounding him in a large circle. They simultaneously sprung into action and at the same time Leo stood balanced on one foot and twirled with both of his katanas outstretched. One of the three was dumb enough to continue proceeding and his throat was severely cut. Leo ran right at the other two with his katana to his right and lowered and sliced both of them in one motion. He turned and saw both of the falling.  
  
Mikey easily defeated the remaining Lotus and rejoined the group to head up the stairs. When they arrived on the fifth floor they found that the door was locked and that it wouldn't budge. They saw the cardkey panel next to it and wondered where they were going to find the cardkey.  
  
"Do you know where we can find the cardkey John?" Donatello asked.  
  
"Sorry guys, I don't have a clue."  
  
"Don't worry about it just follow me," Raph said after a brief silence.  
  
"Where are going Raph?" Leo asked.  
  
"The secretary should probably have a cardkey if she's still here."  
  
John and the turtles went back down to the lobby and hoped he was right. Miraculously they saw that she was still there and headed over to her desk.  
  
"Lady you better be willing to answer some questions or you will be in for some serious hurting," Raph threatened.  
  
"All right, I'll do anything just don't kill me please."  
  
"Give us your cardkey to the fifth floor."  
  
"I n-never got one as a security measure, but they keep an emergency cardkey on the fourth office, in one of the desk drawers." 


	10. Strange

Strange  
  
As they climbed up the stairs Mikey had to ask John something.  
  
"Wouldn't it just be easier to use the elevator?"  
  
"There are two problems with that idea, number one they would know that we were coming and we would be ambushed before we even stepped out and number two, you need an elevator key to reach the fifth floor."  
  
"You need the exercise anyway Mikey," Raph joked.  
  
They reached the door that leads to the fourth floor and entered.  
  
"This place is spooky; it seems way too quiet. Shouldn't there be hordes of Black Lotuses fighting us by now?" Mikey asked warily.  
  
"Mikey's right this is suspicious. We will probably be walking into a trap soon," Don said.  
  
This floor was an office area full of cubicles, it was deadly quiet and no one seemed to be here. They were beginning to advance past the cubicles when the report of a machine gun forced them back behind the protection of a cubicle. Leo peeked past the cubicle to see what was happening; he saw a Lotus ninja behind a machine gun turret. That guy was ready to shoot whatever came his way. Raph tapped on Michelangelo's shoulder and pointed at the lights. Mikey used every last one of the shurikens he had brought to take out the lights and the room transformed into a shadowy battlefield. With the lights out and the gunner's vision deteriorated he began to randomly shoot at nothing.  
  
Raph bided his time and bolted to a cubicle closer to the gunner, the gunner however was unaware of this. Raphael climbed onto a desk where he could easily see the gunner's agitated figure in the darkness. Raphael drew two shurikens and threw with deadly precision hitting him in the neck. The gunner died instantly and dropped to the floor. Raph surveyed the surroundings and motioned for the others to follow. The gunner had been guarding a door behind himself. They approached it and found it to be locked; Leonardo was able to chop off the doorknob and rammed the door down.  
  
"They must be really close to complete domination of the city to use firearms against you," John said.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Don asked.  
  
"Well, because it goes against the code of conduct in ninja warfare as well as Black Lotus doctrine to use firearms. They must have planned to keep this under wraps because Japanese Black Lotus officials found out the chief officers would have to be killed. Firearms are only to be used against traitors, those who embarrass or shame the Lotus, or if the takeover must be sped up."  
  
"I see."  
  
They entered into the office and immediately searched the desk drawers. Donatello found the cardkey in the bottom drawer almost instantly. As the turtles were beginning to leave the fourth floor John grabbed the machine gun from its mount and returned to the group. They walked up the staircase to the door where the cardkey was needed, John slid it through the slot and it was accepted. John cracked the door open and was able to see into the hallway, there were two men guarding a door. John recognized one of them as Huan Kengo. Kengo was bald, and fairly large for a Japanese man, he was 6'2 and weighed two hundred and thirty pounds. He was an extremely muscular and hulking man. Kengo was an enforcer and the personal bodyguard of the Black Lotus number one chief officer, a man John had never seen. Kengo was a man without fear; a high threshold for pain, and some even rumored that he had no conscience.  
  
The other guy was a complete mystery to John. He was average height and weight and the only thing that made him stand out was his long black and unruly hair. He freaked John out way more compared to Kengo. Kengo always showed his emotions; he was only surly or angry, never anything else. The longhaired guy had a face devoid of any expression whatsoever. He seemed to be staring off into space and looking intently at his surroundings at the same time. John reported all this back to the turtles and they prepared to leave.  
  
"They are guarding the door that I think will take us to the chief officer and his number two guy. They shouldn't be too much to handle."  
  
"Number two guy," Mikey said snickering.  
  
"All right let's move," Leo said, rolling his eyes at Mikey.  
  
John went first, he leapt out of the door, his gun already firing. He hit Kengo first and riddled his body full of bullets, but the other guy was quicker to react. He catapulted himself off the left wall and landed only a few feet from John, unfortunately for him John had still been firing where he first stood. The longhaired guy fell quicker than Kengo, even though he didn't sustain as much damage. However that was lucky for John because the machine gun had just ran out of ammo. John dropped his gun and the turtles followed. Although the hallway was expansive it only led to the double doors the two dead men were guarding. John turned the door handle and surprisingly it was unlocked; they entered cautiously. The door opened up into an ample office like room with a view of the city. The room had exquisite marble flooring, ancient Japanese suits of armor and weapons, a large desk and computer, bookcase, and many modern amenities.  
  
"Wow, look at all this crap!" Mikey exclaimed. 


	11. Anthrophobics

Anthrophobics  
  
Suddenly John and the turtles heard a door close and saw a man by the door leading up to the roof. They also heard helicopter blades beginning to whirl above them, they couldn't get to the door because the guy was in the way. John saw that the man was Tatsuya Kyou, the third chief officer of the Black Lotus. He was average height, not muscular, and had long black hair tied into a ponytail. He was dressed to fight; he wore a stylized version of the Black Lotus uniform that was all black and seemed more protective than the regular one. He also held a sword in his right hand.  
  
"The other chief officers are gonna get away if we don't hurry," John said.  
  
"We'll distract this guy, you and Don go after the others," Leo shouted.  
  
Kyou leapt down from the stairs he was standing on and proceeded to attack Mikey, which gave Donatello and Don a chance to run up the stairs. The opened the door and rushed up the stairs only to find that they were too late, the helicopter was already too high off the ground for them to do anything.  
  
"We're too late the helicopter is too high up," John said.  
  
The helicopter looked like it was headed in the direction of the airport; the chief officers seemed to be trying to flee from the city. Donatello and John raced back down the stairs to help the others.  
  
"You will pay for ruining our plans! If you had died as we had intended we might have convinced the Council that firearms are more beneficial than the old ways. They were close to siding with us; this would have contributed to our argument and given us enough honor and glory to rule on the Council."  
  
"If you like firearms so much why aren't you using one now?" Mikey asked.  
  
"Never mind your idiotic question freak!"  
  
John and Donatello weren't sure what they were talking about, but they could see that the turtles were losing. Raphael didn't have either of his sais and was slumped in a corner, Leonardo was kneeling on one knee holding only one of his katanas, and Michaelangelo was panting heavily; meaning he just got his shell kicked by Kyou.  
  
"I'm giving you three choices: You can either surrender peaceful and survive with your life, fight me in a another battle where you may get beaten severely or die, or I'll let you take the honorable way out and commit seppuku," Leo said to Kyou.  
  
"Ha! I will never give up against you freak and I will not lose either. Seppuku is dead, like taboos in Japanese ninja gang warfare were about to before you destroyed my dream! No, I will not commit seppuku that is for the old and traditionalist cowards back in Japan."  
  
Leonardo readied his blade and the two sword masters began to circle each other. Leo leapt toward Kyou, but when he made the mistake of exposing himself in midair Kyou saw it and cut Leo's arm. Leo saw the cut was not deep and continued to fight. Leo's katana struck the metal of Kyou's sword and the clashing metals rung throughout the room. Leo forced Kyou backward and knocked him to the ground, Leo stabbed at him and was blocked by Kyou's sword. Kyou kicked Leo back and gained enough time to get to his feet.  
  
They swung at each other repeatedly, only to have their attacks blocked. Leo pulled back and stared his opponent in the eyes only to see blind hate and rage being fueled by ambition. Leonardo charged forward and slit open Kyou's uniform's chest area.  
  
Kyou put his hand to this chest and saw that Leo's attack drew blood. Kyou flipped Leo on his shell and attempted to cut off his head, but Leo withdrew it in time. Leonardo spun in order to knock Kyou off of his feet and brought his head out of his shell. Both of them rose to their feet very slowly and their sword fighting resumed. Leonardo went for Kyou's neck, but was instantly blocked. Kyou kicked Leo back, knocked his katana out of his hand, and forced him to the floor. Before Kyou was even able to move another half step Donatello was already on his back and wrestled him to the ground. Leonardo got up and kicked Kyou's sword away and began to question him.  
  
"Where are the other chief officers headed?"  
  
Kyou remained silent.  
  
"I'll make him talk," Raph said.  
  
Raph picked him up and dragged him toward the large office windows and proceeded to open them. He grabbed Kyou by the collar of his uniform and dangled him outside.  
  
"You gonna answer the question now tough guy?"  
  
Kyou looked down at the gaping height and knew he would be killed if he fell.  
  
"I swore total allegiance to Kagemi Ryu and the Lotus; I will never betray either of them. Do you actually think I would be scared to die for the Black Lotus? If I die now, I will be remembered as a martyr for the Lotus, as someone so great that he had to be killed out of battle."  
  
"Raph put him down; we need to leave him for the cops to find," Leo ordered. 


	12. You Know What They Say About Fear

You Know What They Say About Fear...  
  
Raph tossed him harshly against to the marble floor, as he did so John picked up Kyou's sword.  
  
"He is going to pay for the death of my mother."  
  
He held the sword under Kyou's chin.  
  
"John you can't go through with it, he's not worth the trouble. Let the police get him," Don urged.  
  
"No. If he hadn't recruited me and forced me into joining then my mother would still be living."  
  
"If you kill him you will give him the satisfaction of becoming a martyr in the Black Lotus, he would suffer much more if he were forced to live without the Lotus rather than to die for it. Plus if you kill him the cops won't be able to get the info out of him to end the Black Lotus practices of recruiting youth and other families will go through the same pain and suffering you went through," Leo reasoned.  
  
John tossed the sword away and helped Don tie up Kyou with computer plugs and wires.  
  
"Stop where you are," a raspy voice ordered.  
  
John and the turtles turned slowly and saw the longhaired guy John had shot.  
  
"Why aren't you dead?" John asked bewildered.  
  
He laughed and then answered John's question.  
  
"You didn't shoot me up bad enough to kill me. You just got in a few shots here and there. The shots took a toll on my body so I played possum to recover some energy."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Don't you know who I am ... I know who you are. I am the awesome, Jun Kurosawa, second chief officer in the Black Lotus."  
  
He ripped off the bloody remnants of his shirt and tied scraps around his thigh and shoulder. Kurosawa had been shot badly in the right shoulder, twice in the chest, and three times in his left thigh, yet he was still alive.  
  
"You're not leaving this building breathing, you traitor!"  
  
Clearly Kurosawa recognized John, but John did not know him at all. They circled each other as their fight began. John struck first; he delivered a merciless kick to Kurosawa's right shoulder. Kurosawa was in obvious agony and the force of the attack knocked him back. John attacked the vulnerable shoulder again with a left hook and followed up with another kick. John slid into his legs and knocked him down, they both got up at the same moment and Kurosawa charged first. He grabbed John by the wrists and they struggled for dominance. Kurosawa head butted him, which caused John's nose to bleed. He kicked Kurosawa in the chest, using both feet to break free of his grip. John wiped his nose and resumed his attack.  
  
John fought at full speed; jabbing Kurosawa in the face repeatedly until his face was bloody, then he head butted Kurosawa with full force. Kurosawa fell and John began kicking him in the ribs, however he soon rolled away and was able to dodge the next kick. He rose to his feet quickly and smiled at John, while baring his bloody teeth. Kurosawa came at John bombarding him with kicks to the chest, ribs, and face and then attempted to finish him with a powerful elbow to the gut. John began to fall back, but he was able to bicycle kick Kurosawa, catching his chin with a powerful blow. Kurosawa hung in the air for a split second and then crashed headfirst onto the marble floor, blood instantly trickled out from his head.  
  
"All right, it's all over. Lets get out of here and let the police sort everything out," Leo said.  
  
Leonardo and Raphael grabbed their weapons that were lost in battle and everyone was about to leave.  
  
"Hold on Leo. John's prints are gonna be all over the gun, we need to erase them."  
  
Don used Kengo's shirt to wipe the gun clean and just in case added Kengo and Kurosawa's prints to cover any partial prints leftover. Michaelangelo pulled a nearby fire alarm and they all left the building. A week later the turtles were watching the news and once again Tina Chung was reporting. 


	13. The Neglected Garden

The Neglected Garden  
  
"A week has passed since the truth about Matada has been exposed and police still don't know anymore now then they did at that time. A vigilante attack against the Black Lotus was happening early midnight and no one seems to know three important questions, whom, how, and why. When police arrived on the scene other than the eight found dead and the one man found alive the entire premises were empty. The Black Lotus leader has seemed to have fled from the city and the man who appeared to be second in command was found dead. There were reports that a helicopter was flying low over some residential areas in New York City, although nothing has been confirmed. All financial records or anything that may have been useful was thoroughly deleted before police arrived and there seemed to be nothing but fake paperwork in the file cabinets."  
  
"The secretary for the Black Lotus' front company, Matada was found dead in her burned down apartment only hours after police arrived at the Matada compound. Police believe that she deliberately torched her home to hide any evidence that might have jeopardized the Lotus. The third in command of the Black Lotus, Tatsuya Kyou will most likely be going to prison for life. It may even be possible that he get the death sentence because the state of New York may attempt to try for the deaths of the Foot gang members that have been murdered by the Lotus. He has not been cooperative with the police; in fact we have been told that he has not spoken a word to them. The majority of the charges against him have been drug and firearm related. State prosecutors say that he will be facing at least a guaranteed minimum one hundred and twenty-year sentence due to the vast number of illegal substances and weapons on the property."  
  
"Once the police found out that Matada originated in Japan they asked the FBI to call up Japanese officials to investigate Matada employees as well as the company itself. Just yesterday those officials told the FBI that every single Matada plant had been abandoned and all information had been destroyed. While it looks that the root of the problem will not be stopped anytime soon it seems that the Lotus might want abandon New York if the FBI gets involved."  
  
"One thing that has been a result in the takedown is that the streets have been safe to walk again with the Black Lotus' diminished presence and a crippled Foot Clan. The police say even if the Black Lotus is terminated that their work is still not finished. The police is bewildered as to who was able to defeat the Lotus and why would they do so. The top minds in the New York City police department say that it might be a rival gang and are worried by one who could take down the best of the Black Lotus organization in only an hour. They believe some rival Japanese gang has followed the Lotus to America due to their almost exclusive use of blades and hand-to-hand combat, rather than traditional American gang use of guns. They say no American gang would even be capable of beating the Lotus with blades."  
  
"We will keep you informed with any further developments in this case. Now to Ron with the weather."  
  
Master Splinter called the turtles to come join him and they sat down in a semicircle around him.  
  
"Although your bout with the Black Lotus was a much greater task to face than anything you have ever experienced before, I have a feeling that you will encounter even greater adversaries and hardships. This is why you must stay united, continue to hone your skills as ninjas, and trust in your brothers before you trust in yourselves. Now begin to do all this by meditating."  
  
Each turtle got into meditation positions and closed his eyes. Raphael breathed in deep and closed his eyes; he tried very hard but saw and felt nothing. He just couldn't focus.  
  
"I'm sorry sensei, but I gotta be able to trust in Raph first and I think I need to start training after getting whipped by Kyou," he thought.  
  
Raph opened his eyes and got up; he grabbed his trench coat and hat and tiptoed out of the lair and into the shadows.  
  
"Besides I do my best meditatin' when I'm bustin' skulls." 


End file.
